When will this link thing in SEO end? Will it ever end? One thing is for sure, there are a lot of guys still trying to get links. So today I give you a copy of an email sent to me by an SEO company offering their services.

__________________________________________________________________

Dear Webmaster,

I manage several high reputation affiliate websites and would like to offer you a contextual link exchange deal, which can be done in several ways:

1) Content in exchange for links:

As a company which provides accurate content to our partners, we are now offering to provide you with FREE, relevant and original content articles at any requested field (we have dedicated content writers for this purpose). In exchange we only require 2 text links from each published article for as long the article is published and at the minimum of 2 years. Each article will have a unique content, will be only used only once and will never be given to any of our other partners.

2) Exchange of contextual links:

A simple exchange of links from within relevant text on various pages of our websites. The key words will be pre-selected. We can negotiate the number and quality of pages in which the links will be created.

3) “Partner Page” links:

A very basic level of link exchange, this way we can still establish long-term relevant links, but with lower SEO exposure.

Thanks & Regards,

************

Marketing Manager

Providing services since 1996

__________________________________________________________________

HELLO! He is a spammer. Do you expect anything more than spammy links?

As tempting as it may seem, guys that spam your inbox probably aren’t the most diligent hard working individuals. They want the quick hit and runs. They want the easy way out. They look at mass numbers. You may get a lot of links, but link volume isn’t everything. The days of massive link volumes are gone. You want quality links not quantity of links.

SEO is becoming mainstream to the business owner. 6 to 7 years ago I would be shocked to find a business owner that new what SEO was. Today I am shocked to find one that doesn’t. The majority of business owners now know they need and want SEO. The problem now becomes understanding what SEO really is, and does a business owner ultimate get his website ranked in Google. Hence the BBB is trying to fill a need for its loyal members by providing a quick and easy guide to getting websites ranked.

Reckless. Very reckless. If only SEO was as quick and easy as a 5 step.

Black Hat Magic

What irritated me the in this article was the following statement:

“Accredited Businesses who use BBB’s dynamic seal on their website will greatly benefit from bbb.org’s high domain status, thus increasing their own domain authorityand search engine ranking.”

What BBB did here is shrewdly ask for a link. Asking for a reciprocal link to be more clear. Further, implicating that by adding a link to the BBB the businesses owner will get better ranks. They even linked to Moz.com within this misguided statement. Was this contrived or is the writer just naive? While this tactic of reciprocal linking isn’t entirely black hat, the fact that the article doesn’t give full disclosure that they are asking for a link makes me cringe.

Most Effective SEO Strategies

Despite the BBB’s attempt to gain links from their naive and trusting followers, the BBB did publish a survey with some good percentages for effective SEO strategies. The survey put “Link Building” as the 3rd from the bottom. The respondents felt that “Quality Content Creation” is your best bet for SEO success. Bravo. Take the survey’s advice and work on your content strategy and keyword research. Give users the information they are searching for and your business should reap some SEM benefits. But please understand, SEO is not a quick 5 step project. It’s a competitive world out there, and everyone wants the first page of google.

Google Plus Check-Ins

I have never know google to not use information they collect to better their search results. I foresee Google+ checkins becoming a major part of Google’s Local Search algorithm. The Google+ Check In will add the user data that google is craving to make search results relevant to users. Google places has come a long way. At one time Google scrapped the internet trying to create it’s local directory. They abused Yelp trying to add in reviews. They indexed foursquare to make sure the results were relevant. Now they have their own system to do all this themselves. From reviews to location data, Google+ answers the local directory call.

Can Google+ capture the foodies? As for the foodies, I am not sure, but I do believe Google has the means and drive to eventually beat down Yelp and Foursquare. While Yelp will have a long life and will still hold on to much of it’s elite foodie following, the annoyance and frustration from both businesses and the non-elite users will erode Yelp’s base. But what do I know.. I am just a pest control guy.

I have the solution. Trust me on this… I kill things for a living. I can help kill SEO. The problem is that most don’t understand the solution… If they want SEO to die then we need to kill the Search Engine.

Search Engine Optimization… So long as there is a search engine that ranks websites based on an algorithm then there will be those that optimize their sites to meet or beat the algorithm and rank their websites in search results.

Image of Google & Yahoo offices in Haifa. Both located in the same building (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Moderation in all things is a great motto, but when you set out to build a boat you want it to float. Is there such a thing as building a boat too well? So google wants relevant content to win. They make measurements. People figure out these measurements. SEO’s adjust. The problem here with over optimization is that what Google has deemed okay in the past could now potentially be over optimized??? Is it really going to help to be “under optimized”?

So many business owners are just now coming to realize that ranking in the search engine’s isn’t a fluke. As these new business owners catch on and get a clue they will begin where so many have begun in the past, and now those tactics may hurt you?

I have long believed that Google would penalize any site with a perfect score. As the algorithm is secret, in order to score a perfect score the site owner would have to be cheating. There comes a point when people just need to stop focusing on what google is doing to tweak their algo. It’s a market of ups and downs. You invest one week in links to find their value gone the next. And then the value picks back up. You are playing a market. If you like the game play it. I believe your best bet is play by the rules that google sets and by the spirit of their law. They are pretty honest in what they tell you they want. Really the whole mess of things is pretty gray. Sadly, if Google judgement day hits, they are most likely going to quietly rule and behead you and the judge and jury remain behind hidden doors.

I have received a new spam letter from Paul Schmitt with Article Stars. “Below are the two best SEO WordPress Plugins out there for your SEO needs.” … and something about targeted keywords, and Google auto pilot plug-in. And very sneaky… using the “Schmitt” name to get that mental name association with google. FYI, Mr. Schmitt, you are messing with the pest control guy… and you sir bug me.

Grandma always says… “If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is.”

You know perhaps I have too much time on my hands and that is why I am actually reading these emails… Here is the pest report of the day.

Subject: Twelve Minutes

Hi, I was hoping you would give me just twelve minutes of your time to talk to you about your website. I am showing businesses like yours how they stack up against their competition, with a no obligation in depth analysis of their site.

I pride myself in understanding how search engines work, and can break it down to a simple science for you. If you give me an opportunity, I can show you how your site is currently stacking up against your competition and how you could be on top _ getting all the traffic your business deserves.

I am doing this at no cost. If by the end of twelve minutes you do not want my help, at least I will know you are making an educated decision and will remember my name when you are ready.

Please let me know the best way to reach you and any comments you want me to consider before I do my research.

I look forward to earning your business,

Kathy Lanten

Best Rank SEO | Outreach Department | San Diego, CA 92109

If you never want to hear from me again, just reply with REMOVE in the subject.

Twelve minutes? Well Kathy Lanten from Best Rank SEO, your 12 minutes is up, since you spammed this SEO crap to several of my websites. And LIES! ALL LIES!… As if you would only take 12 minutes of my time if you had me on the phone. Perhaps I am just that rude, to give you 12 minutes and hang up when you hit the 12 minute mark.

Consider this, if your SEO is anything like your email then you will be wasting my time.

How much plus 1 could a Google plus plus,

If Google could plus 1 Google plus?

So Google launches Google plus, and they just launched Google +1 earlier this year. So lets clarify this first. Google +1 is a search related function showing your friend’s recommendations next to search results. Google Plus is their new social media platform similar to Facebook and Twitter. Google Plus seems to have integrated +1 into their social scheme. However, items in Google Plus that receive a +1 do not show over into Google search results. Further, Google Plus is not showing in Google search results and is not searchable…. Why would a search engine take out the search function?

My Google Plus Post of this debauchery that is not* indexed by Google.

*So as of yesterday 7/14/2010 google began indexing and showing google+ in the search results.

I find it interesting that the Google +1 in Google Plus is only a +1 on the Post in Google Plus. A +1 in Google Plus does not show as a public +1 in Google search results for a link shared in Google Plus. I wonder how much weight a google +1 for a google plus link post will carry. #SEO

+5 by Mike Ramsey, Roy Reyer, Chris Apple and 2 others

2 shares – Thomas Ballantyne and Bill Hartzer

Kristi Davis – I didn’t even bother reading those sentences, they are confusing.🙂 I do find it interesting that this notified me that you shared a post with me. Even though you made it public. That was slightly odd.

Elmer Boutin – I’m willing to bet that if you +1 a post in G+ it will carry at least a little weight as a “vote” for that site, much the same way a tweet or retweet does.

Steve Bitter – Yeah, I am in the same boat as Kristi. Like dude, you’re sitting like 5 feet from me. Just tell me in person!

Mike Ramsey – That was so awesome to read.😉 yeah. how did you get it to notify everyone when it was public, unless it was a public comment with a few people added specifically.

Thomas Ballantyne – +Jon HenshawIn a way… I was testing the add notification for my entire SEO circle… Which means if you are reading this and didn’t get notified that you need to up your SEO skills. =)

Kristi Davis – So it was public and you selected SEO circles? Why would we all get a notification though?

Brian Farr – Wait a minute, I didn’t get notified! Should I be offended? Too late to answer that now! =/

Thomas Ballantyne – +Elmer Boutin I am also guessing that they will be using the +1 as a way of measuring engagement, social influence, and authority.

Becky Jutzi – I also believe this will be a RT kind of sorting. Google needs that info now that Twitter dumped them. And they’ll weight brands/influencers before the rest of us. Not every vote counts… the same way anyway.

Mike Ramsey – I think the going rate is about .50 I bet that will decrease🙂

Kristine Schachinger – I think my head is spinning ..🙂 and I am sure there are shops already set up somewhere.. I mean there are not 10 million SEOs on G+ *wink (PS interesting points Tom)

Dr. Pete Meyers – Seriously, I know what you mean. I get why the +1’s in G+ don’t count, since they’re a lot easier to accumulate, but using the “+” terminology everywhere is confusing at bes Even for non-SEOs, it’s a bit strange – if you +1 a link in G+, wouldn’t you also probably +1 it in search? The button looks the same. I think the average person is going to get confused fast. I like G+ so far, but +1 in general needs some work.

Kristi Hines – I thought the more +1’s and comments a Google+ post gets, the higher it will be in a follower’s stream. Kind of like the Facebook EdgeRank thing.

Reuben Yau – It’s probably “closed” this way as part of the limited field test. I’m guessing they’ll eventually open it up and allow Google Plus +1s to count as signals in web search.

Michelle McManus– I got it after reading it a couple times and it is a very intriguing question. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out, especially where business is concerned.

Thomas Ballantyne – +Michelle McManusSorry.. not trying to be difficult, but I want to blame Google for their insertion of contending names in an effort to be cryptic. …I guess they do have an image to maintain. Oh the Great OZ!